Practice

Carriage House Studio's office space

portland, maine

It’s possible that architect Carol De Tine, AIA, works in one of the most architecturally interesting home offices in her neighborhood. Her workplace, which occupies the lower level of a 6,000-square-foot 1854 brick and sandstone carriage house, is a former stable and workshop for building and maintaining lobster traps. But now it gleams with De Tine’s interventions.

Elements such as salvaged wood and stone preserve the historic character of the space, but steel and glass doors add a modern touch and create a mini vestibule to the office. “I wanted to create a sense of entry and a sense of separation,” De Tine says. She kept the 25-foot-by-18-foot room open and raised the floor 2 feet to gain more light from the high windows, which makes the space feel bright and airy. Other pieces, such as the salvaged slate desk, are a nod to the past. “When you work from home, it’s hard to create an image for yourself,” De Tine explains, “but it’s more important to create one.”